Possible mechanism of infrared radiation reception: the role of the temperature factor

The role of the temperature factor in the mechanism of reception of the CO$_2$ laser low-power infrared (IR) radiation ($\lambda$ = 10.6 $\mu$m) by a sensory neuron membrane has been studied. Organotypic embryonic tissue culture has been used to measure and estimate the temperature of a sensory ganglia monolayer exposed to radiation at different energy densities. The effects of tissue exposure to low-power IR radiation have been investigated. It has been found that inhibition of tissue growth by radiation of low energy density (10$^{-14}$–10$^{-10}$ J/cm$^{2}$) is replaced by tissue growth (10$^{-7}$–10$^{-4}$ J/cm$^{2}$), and again followed by inhibition in the range of 0.1$^{-6}$ J/cm$^2$. A statistically significant specific reaction to nonthermal radiation has been detected at the radiation power density of 3 $\times$ 10$^{-10}$ J/cm$^2$, which is due to activation of the Na$^+$, K$^+$-ATPase transducer function. The mechanisms of interaction of IR radiation with embryonic nerve tissue have been considered. Low-power IR radiation with the wavelength of 10.6 $\mu$m has been demonstrated to specifically activate a novel signal transducer function of the sodium pump, which controls the reception of nonthermal IR radiation in the energy density range of 10$^{-14}$ to 10$^{-10}$ J/cm$^2$.